Course syllabus

 

ARTHIST 222

Radical Transformations: Modern Art 1875-1950

SEMESTER 2, 2018

15 points

 
Course Convenor and Teacher:

Robin Woodward

 

Course delivery format:

2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial

(Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

 Summary of Course Description:              

 Painting and sculpture changed forever in the years between 1875 and 1950.

Traditionally art was descriptive and narrative. In this period – which along with the Renaissance is a major one for change and evolution in the history of art – the perception of what art is, changed forever. It was during this time that the idea came to be recognised that art is actually about itself, that is, a painting or a sculpture does not just have the function of illustrating or telling a story; it has a life of its own. Thus artists started to explore different ways of applying paint to a canvas or finishing the surface of a clay model. And as for buildings – did they all have to conform to traditional patterns and layout, or how could they vary?

One of the key reasons for this reassessment of the place of art in society was the advent of photography. Once you could document life with a camera why did you need the painstaking method of representing things through art forms such as painting? Painting ran the risk of becoming redundant. It had to reinvent itself – and artists did that in a variety of ways. As a result we have a real range in the way that art appears in this period because artists approached this problem in a variety of manners.

The focus of this paper is on artistic activity in Paris in a period of rapid social, technological and political change. Students are introduced to the transition from traditional to contemporary sculpture alongside major developments in painting.

Principal artists and topics include Matisse, Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, Chagall, Salvador Dali, Rodin, Brancusi, Futurism, The Armory Show, Dada and Surrealism.

 Course outcomes:

 A student who successfully completes this course will have the opportunity to:

• acquire knowledge of and apply it 
• understand and carry out visual analysis
• acquire skills in report writing, critical thinking, academic literacy, oral presentation

 Assessment Summary:

ARTHIST222

20% test               in week 6     Thursday 23 August 12 noon

30% essay           due week 9   Wednesday 26 September 4 30pm

50% exam

ARTHIST322

20% essay            due  week 6      Thursday 23 August 2pm

30% essay           due week 9     Wednesday 26 September 4.30pm

50% exam

Weekly Topics:

 

Prescribed Texts:

Readings are accessible on Talis

 Recommended Texts:

See General Bibliography

 

 Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.